Hiranyakashipu

Hiranyakasha (used for Hiranyakashipu), the tyrant king was killed and Prahlada was ferried across by the Lord. (Asa M. 4, p. 451)

Hiranyakashipu nas been written as Hiranyaksha bv the Gurus and the radical saints of Guru Granth Sahib most probably because of the similarity of the two names. Both these demons were brothers and the folk-tradition must have erred in the pronunciation of théir names Hiranyakashipu was the son of Kashyapa and Diti He became the king of the demons and through Penances and austerities, he usurped the authority of Indra and also is said to have exærcised the functions of the sun, moon and the elements i.e. air fire and water. He conquered the three worlds. Having become very powerful, he declared that he was virtually the God of the world. He expected all of his subjects to worship him. But his son Prahlada did not care for the orders of his father and remained a devotee of Vishnu. The father inflated with pride ultimately had no other alternative except to kill his son. Vishnu came to the rescue Prahlada and in the form of Narsimha (man-lion) killed the tyrant king.

References

1. Kohli, Surindar Singh (ed), Dictionary of Mythological References in Guru Granth Sahib, 1993